Air compressor



V. E.' CLARK AIR COMPRESSOR june 28 'QZ?. 1,634,093

Filed June 15. 1925 4 sheets-sheet .1

June 28 1927' v. E. CLARK AIR COMPRESSOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l5, 1925 2 7 Qd W f A 9 W//w- 0% 9W 1 2 O9 f,

June 28, 1927.

V. E. CLARK AIR coMPaEssoR Filed June 15.A 1925 4 sheets-sheep;

a f /mmw Fatented .lune 28, 1927.

naires Iswims VICTOR E. CLARK, 07FV GRAND RPIDS, MICHIGAN.

' Ain COMPRESSOR.

vApplication filed .Tune 15, 1925. Serial No. 37,028

This invention relates to'an a-ir compression mechanism and is designed particularly with reference to mechanism of this character which can be used in conjunction with motor vehicles, the engine of the vehicle being used for` the lproduction of compressed air which in turn may be used for the operation ofthe vehicle. The inivention, however, is not restricted in use to motor vehicles and has many other places of use where compressed air ata very high pressure may be desirable or necessary.

A primary object and purpose of the present invention is to compress the air'in two stages of compression, one which will produce compressed air at a relatively low pressure and the other take the said air at such lower pressure ann compress it to a much higher pressure. Incident to this main object and purpose of Lthe invention are many novel details of construction and arrangements of parts for the effective attainment of the object stated, all `of which will appear fully and in detail as understanding of the invent-ion is hadfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the air compression apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the broken line r2--2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. Sis a vertical section through the -reversing mechanism forming one part ofthe construction.

Fig. 4L i-s an enlarged detail in section illustrative ofthe worm and screw mechanism for operating the pistons in the second stage air compression apparatus. p

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in section showing the check'valve mechanism interposed between the second stage air compression apparatus and the storage tank for the compressed air.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail in horizontal section showing the valve means automatically -operative with the periodic reversals of the movements of the pistons so as to direct the air from the primary compressor alternately to the cylinders forming apart of the secondary air compressi-on apparatus. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the detail shown in Fig. 6, and Y Fig. 8 is a side elevatiomfwith some parts in section, illustrating vthe assembly of the apparatus.

-Like reference characters refer to like whichv the boss 17 extends.

parts in the different figures of the drawings'. The engine, indicated at l, may be of usual internal combusti-on type and is .adapted to directly drivean aircompr'essor 2 through gears 3 and 4 interposed between the engine and the compressor. The compressed air from the compressor 2 is carried to the rear by apipe 5 which, at its rear end, is connected with a suitable valve casing 6 from whichbranch pipes 7 and 8 extend in opposite directions to adjacent the closed 'ends of two cylinders 9 and 10. Each of said `cylinders has an outlet'pipe, the respective outlets for the cylinders .9 and 10being indicated at 11 and 12, leading into alstorage tanklS for compressed air from which ithe same may be drawn through a pipe 14 to any suitable motor (not shown) adaptedfto be run by compressed air. This motor in motor vehicles will be associated with the rear aXle of the vehicle so yas to drive the same. lVhile I have shown a storage tank 13 it 'is to be understood that this tank may be elim# inated and the air to run the motor carried directly through the pipes 11 and 12`from the cylinders 9 and 10 to said airpperated motor.

To the crank shaft of the engine 1 afshaft 15 is connected, the same .being continuously driven in one direction when the engine is in-motion. Thisv shaft, atits rear end,`is equipped vwith a beveled .gear ljcentrally from which a boss 17 projects rearwardly; andthe gear at itsrear face Aisalso-formed with "an annular rearwardly .I extending rib 18 on the inner curved sides Iofwhi'ch a plurality ofv equallvspaced apart notches 19 are cut. V.Directly backof the gear 16 is a secondheveled gear 20,- the beveled faces of gears 16 and 2O being adjacent-each other: From this gear'20 a shaft 21 extends to the rear. Gear 2O on its front facev is formed with a forwardly extendingsleeve 22, into Between the gears a: ring28 ofmetal is located formed in its forward face with an annular groovev 24j into which the annular'rib 18of gear 16 ext-ends, this 'groove being around a central annular sleeve porti-on 23a of the ring 28, ras

,showninFig 2.V The ring23 at a plurality lll v23 and atequally spaced apart points has sections 31 pressed outwardly each at one end terminating in an out-turned lug 32. r1`here are four of these sections 31, one for each of the pins` 27, and said sections 31 are pressed outwardly from the band and progressively extend farther away from the band until. they terminate in the lugs 32 described. At diametrically opposed points in the ring 23 two pins 33-are secured, the saine extending through slots 34 in the band 30. Coiled springs 35 are Vattached at oneV end to the pins 33 and at their opposite ends to the bands 30, the tendency of these springs being to move the band with reference to the ring so that the pinsv 27 may freely project outward until the fingers 28 seat in the notches 19.

On a stationary vertical support 36 located in front of and adjacent the gear 16, a bar 37 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 39 having an end section 38 turned substantially at right angles so as to extend over the band 30. The opposite end is turned downwardly as indicated at 40 parallel to the support 36 which carries a leaf springl 41 bearing against the part 40, the tendency of which is to t-urn the section 38 downwardly into the path of movement of the projecting lugs 32.

The gears 16and 20 and the elements associated therewith described are located in front of the cylinders 9 and 10 which are spaced apart from each other and between which a supporting casting 42 is disposed from which two spaced apart ears 43 extend upwardly. Between the ears 43 a worm or tangent wheel 44 are located, it being rotat ably mounted in said ears. rlhe shaft 21 carriesa worm 45 meshing with the worm wheel 44 and is continued to the rear edge of the casting 42, having rotatable .mounting inthe upper end of a post 45 extending upwardly from and integral with said support.

rlhe worm whe-el 44 is centrally bored and interiorly threaded. rlwo pistons 47 are located in the cylinders 9 and lO and a rod 48 connectsthe pistons, the intermediate portion of which is threaded as indicatedV at 49 and passes through the worm wheel 44. It is evident that with the rotation of the shaft 21 pistons 47 are moved one toward the closed end of its cylinder and the other away from said closed end and the location of the pistons in thev cylinders is such that when one piston is near or approaching the closed end of its cylinder the opposite piston is near or approaching the open end of its cylinder.

A trip bar 50 is fixed to the rod 48 at one side of the ears 43 being adapted to rocll: or trip a rock bar 51 formed with in-turned ends 52 and pivotally mounted at 53 on the support 42. That is, (referring to Fig. 1) with the piston 47 in cylinder 9 moving to the left, the trip bar 50 will engage with one of the fingers 52 of the bar 51 Yand will roclr the bar about its pivot 53 and on the return stroke of the pistons, as will later be described, when the trip bar reaches the opposite finger 52 it will rock the bar 51 back to its original position. The bar 51 is formed at the end of a lever 54 which extends to andr alongside of the depending portion 40 turned downwardly from the lever 37, at its front end being formed with a. slot 55 therein best shown in Fig. 1.

lllithin the Valve casing 6 a valve 5G is mounted at its upper end carrying an arm 57 at the free end of which a pin 58 extends upwardly and passes into and through the slots l55. The valve 56 has a. passage there through such that when turned to one position, as shown in Fig. 6, air from the pipe 5 is directed through the pipe 8 to the c-yl- Y inder 10 and when turned substantially a quarter turn to another position the air will be directed through the pipe 7 to the piston 9.

With the engine operating and with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is with the lever 54 bearing against the part 40 so as toelevate the section '38 above the outwardly extending lugs 32, the. air from the lcompressor 2 is directed into the cylinder 10. The shaft 15 is driven continuously and the entire mechanism, including the gears 16 and 2O and the parts associated therewith', turned in one direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, thereby turning the shaft V21 in the saine direction as the shaft 15. This moves the piston 4'? in the cylinder 9 toward the l closed end of the cylinder and coinpresses'the air in such cylinder forcing it into the storage tank 13 or, if such tank is omitted, forcing it directly to the air motor driven by the compressed air. ln the pipes 11 and 12 or between said pipes and the cylinders 9 and 10 a valve casing 59 is located (see Fig; 5)

in which a check valve 60 is mounted having a rod 61 extending therefrom around which is a` spring 62 normally serving to hold the valve in closed position in addition to the pressure of the air in the tank 13, but when the pressure in the cylinder 9 gets above that in the storage tank 13 the valve is unseated and the air forced into saidV storageltanl. The movement of the piston 47 in the cylinder 9 toward the closed'end of the cylinder continues until the trip bar 50 rocls the bar 51 whereupon thev lever 54 is moved away from the depending part- 40 and the spring 4l. moves the section 38 downwardly into the path ot movement ot the outwardly extending ears or lugs 32 of the band 80., vWhen this occurs the band is stopped andslips over the ring 23, springs 35 stretching, and the pins 27 are forced inwardly until they disengage from the notche3 19, thus breaking the connecting engagement between the gear 16 and the ring 28, whereupon band 30 and the ring 23 remain stationary. r)The gear 16,

continues to move in its saine direction of movement but drives the gear 2() in the opposite direction through the 'interposed pinions 25. This eiiects a reversal ot the movement ofthe pistons 47 and it is evident that'with the rocking of the bar 5lA the valve 56 has been turned to another position so Vto` change'thepassage ot' the compressed air trom the cylinder 10 to the cylinder 9.( TheA air which has been compressed in compressor Q and carried into the cylinder l() is then further compressed by the movement of the piston 4l? toward the closed end ot the cylinder. At the same time the compressed air from the compressor '2 is carried into the cylinder 9 during the time that t-he piston i7 is moving toward the open end of the piston. This continues until on the return movement ot th-e trip bar 50 it engages the opposite nger 52 and rocks the bar 54 back to position where it engages against the depending` portion 40 of the lever 37 and disengages the end 38 thereotl from the lug 32 with which it has been disengaged, whereupon shaft 21 again moves in unison with the shaft l5 and not in a direction oppo-site thereto. Y

From this construction it will be apparent that the air from the compressor 2l is alternately carried to the cylinders 9 and l0 and further compressed therein to a higher degree of pressure. In this manner the air may be compressed to a very high pressure, it being apparent that the worm gear connection between the pistons l? and the engine driving the same permits an exceedingly high pressure of air to be obtained. y

The construction described when used in connection with any motor adapted to be driven by compressed air is very eti'ective and with motor vehicles it is evident that the usual clutch Orar shift and transmission may be entirely omitted, the air motor beingdriven at any desired speed in accordance with the amount ot compressed air supplied thereto. The two stage compression of the air is particularly effective. As before stated the storage tank 13 may be eliminated and the air taken directly Jfrom the secondary compressors tov the air operated motor, obviating any oi' the difliculties of holding vair at a very high pressure in a storage tank which might be liable to leakage. Many changes in the detail of construction may be claims'and which is to be considered comprehensive of all forms ot structure coming within the scope ot said claims.

`I claim:y f Y y.

l. In` combination, an engine, an air compressor driven by the engine, two cylinders, means tor alternatelyy delivering compressed air ,from the compressor to said cylinders, and means directlydriven by the engine operating in said cylinders tor 'further compress the air therein, said means compressing the air in one cylinder whiie compressed air from the compressor is being delivered to the other cylinder.- Y Y in combination with an engine, an air compressor driven thereby, two cylinders oppistons' inthe cylinders, a rod connecting the pistons, a pipeleading from the air com-v pressor, branch pipes leading from said cylinders to said iii-st pipe, valve means between said iirst pipe and the branch pipes operable to directv the compressed air to eithericylind'er, means tor movingjsaid pistons and the rod connecting the same back and forth driven by said engine, and means tor autematically turning said valve in conjunction with the movement of said pistons whereby on movement of the pistons to compress air in one cylinder air from the compressor is delivered to the opposite cylinder.

3. In combination with an engine, anY air compressor driven by the engine, a pipe leading from the air compressor, a valve casing to which said pipe. is connected, a valve in the valve casing, two branch pipes leading from the valve casing, two cylinders having each a closed end to which said pipes are connected adjacent said closed ends, pistons in the cylinders, a rod connecting the pistons, means driven by the enginetor moving said pistons in the cylinder, trip means secured to said rod and connected with the valve for automatically turning the valve to change the direction ot flow ofcompressed air on predetermined movement of said rod in either direction, and means disposed between the engine and said rod operating means for automatically reversing the movement of said operating means when said trip means is actuated.

a. In combination with an engine, an air compressor driven by the engine, two cylinders each having one end closed located in spaced apart relation with their open ends toward each other, two pistons in said cylinders, a rod connecting thepistons, said rod having its intermediate portion threaded, a worm wheel having an internally threaded opening therethrough through which the threaded portion oi the rod passes, a shaft, a worm thereon engaging withV the worm wheel, connections between the compressor lill) lil and the cylinders adjacent their closed ends tor carrying compressed air trom the com- .pressor to the cylinders, valve means in said connections for alternately directing the compressed air to said cylinders, means for automatically operating said valve means on movements of the rod connecting the pistons to predetermined points in either direction, and means interposed between the .engine and said worm carrying the shaft for driving said shatt in opposite directions combined with means for reversing the direction of movement ot said shaft upon operation of the trip means, substantially as described.

5. ln combination with an engine, a compresser driven by said engine, two cylinders each having' a closed end, pipe rconnections between said compressor and cylinders, a valve in said connection adapted to be operated to two different positions, whereby compressed air is directed to either one or the other of said cylinders, means in said cylinders operated by the engine 'for further compressing the compressed air delivered to either cylinder, and means for automatically turning said valve when one cylinder is substantially lilled with compressed air to there-v by direct the compressed air to the opposite cylinder and simultaneously operate said compressing means in the cylinders to turther compress the air in the tilled cylinder and operate the compressing means in the opposite cylinder outwardly to provide space therein for the reception of the air from the compressor.

6. In mechanism of the characterfde scribed, an air compressor, means iter driving the same, two receptacles, means for alternately 'delivering compre-sei` air `'trom the compressor to said receptacles, and means for alternately further compressing the air in said receptacles driven by said air com presser operated means, a storage tank connected with said receptacles and conduits leading from the receptacles to .the storage tank 'tor carrying the :tui-ther compressed air trom the receptacles to'said tank combined with check valves in said conduits stopping return movement of air from said storage tank to said receptacles.

ln testin'xony whereof I affix my signature.

vieron n. CLARK. 

